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TI-2023-07273 Aliases CVE-2023-20854GHSA-q2j8-g836-9cv5

Improper privilege management in VMware Workstation

Priority LOW 36CWE-269Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
Privilege escalation
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · High · High
Fix status
No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269.

Summary

VMware Workstation contains an arbitrary file deletion vulnerability. A malicious actor with local user privileges on the victim's machine may exploit this vulnerability to delete arbitrary files from the file system of the machine on which Workstation is installed.

Why it matters now

Exploitation None reported CISA SSVC · not in CISA KEV
EPSS 0.00294 22nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet

SSVC decision points

CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3

Exploitation
None
Automatable
No
Technical impact
Partial

The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
—VMware WorkstationVMware Workstation (17.x prior to 17.0.1)—No fix listedCNA
  • VMware Workstation Vendor— Affected VMware Workstation (17.x prior to 17.0.1) Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 2

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:workstation:17.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*17.0VulnerableVMware
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*not specified by NVDRunning onMicrosoft
  • cpe:2.3:a:vmware:workstation:17.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 17.0 Vulnerable ·VMware
  • cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Microsoft

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-20854
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q2j8-g836-9cv5

References

Patch 1

  • TI-2025-16135 Time-of-check time-of-use race condition in VMware ESXi KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.3
  • TI-2025-16137 Out-of-bounds read in ESXi KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.1
  • TI-2010-01161 Buffer overflow in pngpread.c in libpng before 1.2.44 and 1.4.x before 1.4.3, as used in… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2012-03093 Format string vulnerability in VMware OVF Tool 2.1 on Windows, as used in VMware… CVSS 2.0HIGH 9.3
  • TI-2017-03716 Observable discrepancy in Intel Most Modern Operating Systems CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.6
  • TI-2008-03731 Buffer overflow in a certain ActiveX control in the COM API in VMware Workstation 5.5.x… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
See all 212 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences